The former Pakistan captain, during a show on a local sports media outlet, talked about Azam Khan's recent form and the criticism he has received:
"If he doesn't have the fitness and that shape, we shouldn't criticize him too much. We usually go below the belt and cross the limits. It shouldn't be like that."
"Azam Khan has reached this position, and before playing for Pakistan, he has played in PSL and has given performances."
"So, the same people, they were saying he is the only one, that we don't have better middle-order batter like him, given his splendid hitting and strike rate."
"They are now suddenly criticizing him after one match where he dropped a catch and didn't perform. Instead of criticizing his game, we have headed in another direction. This shouldn't be the case."
"On the other hand, if we put ourselves in Azam Khan's place, I think Azam Khan needs to show some seriousness. We all know he can't be as lean as Shoaib Malik or other cricketers, but he could have done better with his fitness."
"There was a time when he reduced his weight, did training, and delivered performances. Nowadays, I have observed that the discipline he had in the past has been given up, and I can see that he has increased his body weight. So, he also needs to think about it - if there are no performances, criticism will come, and even a player like Virat Kohli gets criticized. He needs to get mentally stronger, and criticism will come, but he should just stay focused for the longer run."